Bill > H7169

This bill, titled "Child Protection and Child Welfare Services," aims to enhance the protection and welfare of children in Florida by implementing several key provisions. It mandates the appointment of an Assistant Secretary for Child Welfare within the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to oversee child protection and welfare services, and establishes services for medically complex children to help them remain in their homes. The bill also outlines conditions for the use of critical incident rapid response teams, which will investigate serious incidents involving children, and requires DCF to publish information on its website regarding child deaths reported to the central abuse hotline. Furthermore, it authorizes the use of safety plans in situations of present or impending danger to a child, mandates DCF to make efforts to keep siblings together and facilitate sibling visitation, and requires a review of child deaths reported to the central abuse hotline. To improve the workforce, the bill establishes education and training requirements for child protection and child welfare personnel and department attorneys, creates tuition exemption and student loan forgiveness programs for these professionals, and establishes the Florida Institute for Child Welfare to advance research and policy in this field.